"No! Wait—!" Viliant gasped, but Sage Rokirith had already spirited Fia away. A low grumble resounded from the back of his throat as he rolled over in the net of vines. He was stuck here with Diwa, like she were an eggsitter.

"Don't worry, Viliant," Diwa said in an obnoxiously sweet tone. "The sage will take good care of Fia."

"No, he won't," Viliant spat back. He's not exactly a dragon that I'd trust with children.

"Hm," Diwa hummed and flicked her tail in disagreement. "It's a good thing he's not alone then. I'm here to take care of you right now."

"What… about… Fia?" Viliant snarled and paused between each word audibly spoken.

"She's fine, Viliant," Diwa insisted. "What about you?" A minor cure spell washed away Viliant's nausea, thereby assuaging one cause for his ill temper. "What will you do when Fia goes back to her family?"

I'm going with her, Viliant replied at once. She won't make it back without me—

"Yes she will," Diwa interrupted. "That's the whole point of us saving up. We're sending her back safely, the best fare that money can buy."

Viliant glared with his jaw clamped shut. He had a hard time coming up with a logical refutation to Diwa's point, but he disagreed all the same. So what if it's possible for her to make it back without me? Anything could go wrong. Besides, she promised me a home. I have nowhere else to go…." Viliant rehearsed, but as he finished, he realized that this dynamic of their relationship no longer rang true. Slowly, his jaded eyes lifted to Diwa whose gentle gaze held steady.

The warm presence of her mind stayed constant, inviting, "You will always have a home with me, Viliant. Let me be your mother. If that's too much, then please consider me like a big sister."

Though the offer was not wholly unexpected, Viliant's head spun. He never dared to expect himself on the receiving end of such generosity.

"You deserve a place where you can feel safe, and in time, happy," Diwa continued. "I'm worried if you go to Carlinoa with Fia, then you'll be putting yourself back in the humans' warpath."

For precisely this reason, Viliant had avoided letting his thoughts dwell on Fia's cause. I… don't know what to say. Thank you, he managed, but the mere gratitude of his mind did not feel like enough. "Thank you," Viliant repeated in the Malakow language taught by Diwa. Even so, he felt the need to ask, Can I talk to Fia first?

"Of course, dear." Diwa's tail curled into a smile. The black dragonet always hastily rejected any offers to help. In her eyes, his consideration was as good as his assent. "But Viliant," Diwa cautioned, "you don't even know if her clan will take you in. You've only known Fia for a few months—traumatic months—but not that long nonetheless. You shouldn't let her, or any part of your past, dictate the rest of your life. With me, you can start over fresh. I can even heal your wings."

I… agree. Viliant was not sure why he felt so hesitant to let these thoughts crystallize in his mind. Already, he knew that Fia would never understand. To himself, he thought, I should stay with Diwa in Malakow. It only makes sense. His stomach started to churn again as he dreaded Fia's return.

***

The canopy of the Malakow Jungle once again passed beneath Sage Rokirith's wings. Fia stayed alert, trying to spy Viliant and Diwa as soon as they came into view. The black dragonet and green dragoness would be hard to spot as they camouflaged with the shadows and leaves.

"Hm," Sage Rokirith grumbled in his throat. "I can't seem to recall where we left them. Any idea?"

All the trees looked the same. Fia swiveled between Sage Rokirith's horns, trying to discern any difference in their surroundings. Panic mounted in Fia's chest as she realized that they had lost Viliant and Diwa in the sea of trees. Viliant! she broadcast out with her mind.

"They're too far." A twinge of annoyance flitted through Sage Rokirith, the only one who had heard Fia cry out for Viliant. Her claws pressed into the grooves of his scaly head. The sage soared leisurely over the treetops, seeming to wait for her to come up with a proper solution.

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"We could use magic to wave to them," she suggested at last.

"A flare sounds like a good plan. Would you like to do the honors?"

Balanced atop Sage Rokirith's head, Fia tipped back her own. Fire spiraled from her maw in a vertical column. Steady, she thought to herself.

Toward the west, a chartreuse light flashed from one of the trees. Leaves swirled in a storm momentarily as Diwa's signal.

"There they are!" Fia cheered.

"Good, dragonette." With a pound of his wings, Sage Rokirith flew faster to recollect Diwa and Viliant.

The two dragons had moved closer together in the time that Fia and Rokirith were away. Much to their surprise, Viliant seemed content to be tucked beneath one of Diwa's wings. His reluctant eyes had trouble lifting to greet Fia. "Upsy-daisy!" Diwa said as she sprung Viliant upward with a curled stalk.

"Gah!" Viliant hollered at the sudden air passing through the holes in his spread wings.

Sage Rokirith snatched him up with his hind talons and bobbled him carefully so as not to pierce the dragonet's scales.

As for Diwa, she slithered up to the tippy top of the tree which swayed under her weight. The dragoness glided into the sky and fluttered to catch up to Sage Rokirith. The gray dragon deliberately angled his wings to slow his speed and accommodate his smaller companion.

***

The mountains neared, but before the dragons flew any higher, Diwa requested another respite. Fia, you look bored. Ready for a break?

"The mountain! I'm excited!" The first time that Fia had flown over this mountain with Sage Rokirith, she had been in no state to form any fond memories. The sage's comments about a fire mountain made her eager to see it up close.

Viliant, Diwa called to the other dragonet—the older one who might pick up more nuance. You'd take a nap in the trees, wouldn't you?

What makes you think I need naps? Viliant snapped back.

Diwa's breath huffed harder with every wing beat. Her balance faltered side to side from overexertion.

"We're taking a break," Sage Rokirith announced. "Best to rest before the ascent."

Thank you, Diwa said silently. Her wings folded into a haphazard dive into the trees.

"You too," Rokirith said and released his claws, dropping Viliant where she had gone. The sage kept Fia in his company. This time, they could go up the mountain where the trees became shrubs before the vegetation disappeared all together.

***

Viliant assessed the greenery all around him, reflecting in his emerald eyes. Home, he thought to himself, probing the word for its meaning. The Malakow Jungle could really become his first, true home.

His attention shifted to Diwa who lay sprawled in the crook of two branches. Could you… he began.

Diwa opened her bleary eyes and fixed her posture. Her total attention was dedicated to him, silent and patient for what he had to share.

Could you… help… me practice what I want to say to Fia? The awkward question formed in fits and starts in Viliant's mind, but he finally got it out. His claws twisted together, and he hunkered his frame away out of shame.

Of course! I'd be more than happy to. Before they began, Diwa said, And Viliant, I'm proud of you for asking like this.

A tension creased across the ridges above Viliant's eyes. He really did want to regard Diwa as family.

***

The moment that Sage Rokirith's claws touched the ground, he lay down. "The effort coming up here was worth it to land."

Fia hopped off his head with an extra bounce to her step. Given that the sage had carried her all day, she had plenty of energy to explore. To hop from rock to rock, she threshed the air with her wings. Fia climbed high enough that Sage Rokirith needed to look up to her. "Get used to the feel of basalt under your claws," he told her. "This will be your new home."

"Home…." Even as she stood on a ledge of dark-colored rock, Fia could still recall the sensation of her claws buried in sand. The island of Carlinoa was her one and only home.

Their recess passed in otherwise silence. Sage Rokirith rose to his feet. "Let's get Diwa."

"And Viliant! Don't forget him."

"Hmph," the sage grunted as he took to the sky. The rush down the mountain happened faster with less effort expended. To this spot, Fia and Sage Rokirith would return with Viliant and Diwa.

***

Upon reaching the peak, Diwa said, I… I can't go any farther. Her body collapsed across the rocky, slanted ground. Her nostrils flared—wheezing—as she inhaled the thin, mountain air.

When the sage landed, he gave pause. Sage Rokirith dipped his head to the ground, leveled to the same height as Diwa who lay several wing spans off. Fia dismounted from his head and walked over to Viliant's side. Attentively, she observed the curious consideration which the great gray dragon seemed to have for the green one.

Sage Rokirith flung his neck around, tail thrashing the other way. Spittle flung from his hiss directed at Fia and Viliant. "Wyrms, take a hike till you feel as tired as she does!"

At his outburst, Viliant sprung into action. The dragonet placed himself defiantly between Fia and Sage Rokirith. Nevertheless, his wings and tail curled round into himself. Viliant slunk off with one wing over Fia's back. Let's go. There's something we need to discuss, anyway.